Direction indicator for vehicles



Oct. 12, 1937. M. VERREAULT 2,095,352

DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR VEHICLES 4 Filed April 8,- 1955 2 Shea s-Sheet 1Oct. 12,.1937. VERREAULT 2,095,352

DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR VEHICLES Filed April 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 23'7 IIIIIII Z 35 1 1 "Ill! 7 mmn-limmlm I Inventor M/zzc/e %i fleazzlthey a a, 7 v By a Attor Patented Oct. 12, 1937 UNITED smrss e rNT oFFlcE2,095,352 7 DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR VEHICLES Application April 8;1935,'Serial No. 15,147

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in direction indicatingdevices for vehicles.

. An object of the invention is the provision of an improved device forsignalling the intended direction of travel.

A'further object of the invention is the: provision of a directionsignalling device which may be readily attached to automobiles and othervehicles.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a directionindicating device of the above char acter constructed so that theoperative signal will be illuminated to distinctly display the same.

A still further object of the invention is theprovision of a signallingdevice of the above type which is relatively simple and compact inconstruction. V

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device ofthe aforesaid character which is efficient and reliable in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description progresses.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like reference characters are employed to designate correspondingparts throughout the same:-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary interior view of the vehicle showing thedevice operatively connected therewith, I

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front view of the vehicle and the signallingdevice mounted there- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the-signallingdevice showing movable signal elements in dotted lines and the electriccircuit,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the device,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, I

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse section taken through the lowerportion of the device,

Figure '7 is a vertical section through the device looking rearwardly,

Figure 8 is a similar view showing one of the movable signallingelements in operative position, Figure 9 is a similar view lookingforwardly,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the upper portion ofone of the movable signalling elements,

Figure 11 is a similar view showing the element operating mechanism,

Figure 12 is a section on the line l2--|2 of Figure 11,

Figure 13 is an enlarged section taken on the line l3--l3 of Figure 7,

Figure 14 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line l4--l4 ofFigure 4, and

Figure 15 is an enlarged section taken on the line Iii-I5 of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred embodiment of the invention, A generally designates asignal casing of elongated, approximately rectangular, form embodying acentral section 20, a frontsection 2| and a rear section 22. Thesesections are releasably fastened in assembly by means of spring clips 23attached to the central section and engaging indented elements on thefront and rear sections. In each side of the casing A is formed arelatively long vertically disposed slot 24. Parallel with the slot 24at the upper portion is formed an elongated somewhat wider slot 25.Within the front section of the casing is provided a chamber 26.

In the central portion of the front section forming wall is formed anarrow-shaped aperture 28 disposed so that the arrow points upwardly. Inthe centre of the rear wall are formed vertically arranged letterapertures 29 forming the words I turn. Within the centre of the casing Ais rigidly secured a vertical panel 30 terminating short of the top andbottom of the casing.

Pivotally connected to the; panel by pivot pins 32 are a pair ofcomplementary signal indicating members 33 embodying fiat elongatedhandshaped pointers preferably formed of transparent or translucentmaterial. At the pivoted corner portion each of the pointers 33 isprovided with a pair of arcuate slots 34 and 35, the latter beingdisposed so that the pointer may turn with respect to a stop pin 36which operates to arrest inward movement thereof. To the upper forwardside of each pointer signal 33 is connected a metallic crank 31 havingformed at the outer end a laterally projecting crank pin 38. To eachcrank pin 38 is pivotally connected the upper end of 9, depending link39 provided with an elongated slot 40 in the lower portion.

The bottom slotted portion of each link 39 engages a pin 42 secured ateach end of a vertically movable rocker bar 43. At each extremity therocker bar 43 is formed with a trip finger 44, the purpose of which willbe later described. The centre of the bar 43 is rigidly secured on oneend of a horizontal rock shaft 45 journalled on the panel 30.

On the opposite or rear end portion of the rock shaft 45 is secured anactuating lever 41 having the intermediate portion rigidly secured tothe rock shaft and having a rotatable knob 48 mounted on one extremity.On the opposed or upper end of the. lever 41 is mounted an electricalcontact point 49 engageable with either of three contact bars 50, 5| and52 secured on an insulating backing plate 53 mounted on the upperportion of the panel. Toopposite side portions of the panel are secureda pair of socket forming portion of a tube 66.

brackets 54 adapted to support lamps 55 disposed in registration withthe slots 25 in the side wall of the casing and with openings in thepanel. A pair of spring contacts 56 form connections between the contactbars 59 and 52 and the lamps 55.

A strip 58, of insulating material, is secured to the lower portion ofthe panel 39 and extends thereb-elow supporting, at its lower end, alamp socket 523. In the socket 59 is fitted a lamp 6!) which projectsinto the chamber 26 in the forward part of the casing through an openingin the rear chamber wall. A strip 6|, of conducting material, is securedon the support 58, one end of the conducting strip being arranged tocontact with the contact point on the lamp. To the other end of theconducting strip BI is connected a conducting wire 62 connecting thestrip with the central conducting bar on the upper part of the panel.The shell of socket 59 is grounded by means of conductor 59 soldered tosaid shell and to the metallic panel 30. (See Fig. 14.)

One side of the casing is pivotally connected with a hollow laterallydisposed arm 64 the inner end of which is pivotally connected to andsupported by a bracket 65 secured on the outer end The inner end of thetube is connected with a box 61 provided with a slot in the bottom andhaving a vertically disposed hand lever 68 pivotally connectedtherewith. The lower handle portion of the lever 68 projects below thebox while an upper portion extends above the pivot within the box. Tothe upper extremity of the lever 68 is fastened a flexible operatingmember 69, as for instance a wire, which extends through the tube andhollow arm and into the casing A. The inner end of the wire is attachedto the knob 48 on the lower end of the lever 47. An electric conductor19 has one end connected with the upper end portion of the lever 41 andwith the contact point 49 carried thereby. The conductor is extendedthrough the hollow arm and tube and is connected with the electricwiring light circuit of the vehicle, as shown at Figure 3.

The signalling device is preferably mounted on a vehicle, as shown atFigure 1, the tube 66 being extended horizontally through an opening inthe body in front of the forward left hand door so that the operatinglever 69 will be'disposed in a position conveniently accessible by thevehicle operator; The signal casing will assume a laterally projectedposition, as shown at Figures 1 and 2, and may be adjusted forwardly orrearwardly to clear the door by horizontal adjustment of the hollow arm64, as shown in dotted lines at Figure 4.

When it is intended that the vehicle pursue a straight ahead course, thehand lever 68 is disposed in a vertical intermediate position so thatthe front lamp 69 will illuminate the interior of the chamber 26 anddistinctly display the front arrow 28 indicating straight forwardmovement of the vehicle. When it is intended to make a right hand turn,the operator swings the lever handle 68 to the right in accordance withthe letter R on the box 6'! so that the wire 69 swings the lever 41 tothe position shown at Figure 9. This movement causes correspondingswinging movement of the rocker bar 43 which pulls one of the links 39downwardly and causes the right hand pointer signal 33 to swing from adownwardly suspended concealed position to a laterallyj projectedsignalling position. At the same time, the contact point 49 carried bythe upper end of the lever 41 is moved from its initial contact with terto the pivot shaft, a

the centre contact bar 5| which closed the circuit to illuminate thelamp 69, into contact with the side contact bar 50 which now closes thecircuit through the right hand electric lamp 55. The light rays from thelamp 55 are directed through the side slot and through the notch in thepanel onto the horizontally disposed signalling indicator so as torender the same distinctly visible to the trafiic both in front and inthe rear of the signal carrying vehicle. This lamp will also illuminatethe rear interior part of the casing so as to distinctly display thewords in the rear wall I turn.

When the turn is completed and it is desired to restore the operativeturn signal to its retracted concealed position, the hand lever 68 ismoved back to its vertical intermediate position, turning the lever 4i"so that the contact point thereon will contact with the central contactbar 5! to again illuminate the front arrow signal. As the rock shaft 45is rotated to return the turn signal to a non-signalling position thetrip finger 44 will engage the lower end portion of the lowered link 39to force the link upwardly so as to release the crank pin 38 from theoutward thrust action of a resilient bar spring 12 secured in the top ofthe casing. As the crank the crank immovably in the casing. Thus, thespring 72 functions to hold the pivoted indicators both in outwardlyprojected signalling positions and in retracted inoperative positions.

Thus, the signal is conveniently operable by the driver of the vehicleand will function to clearly designate the intended direction of travel.It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes as to the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the'invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:- 1. In a directionindicator for vehicles, a casing, a pair of turn indicating signalspivoted at one of their ends within the casing, a crank secured to thepivoted end of each signal, a slotted link pivoted to the end of eachcrank, a pivadapted to rock the arm as said lever is moved one way orthe other, a fiat toggle spring secured centrally to the casing andhaving its ends bearing on the crank ends to urge the same upwardly, anda control wire attached to the free end of the lever for manuallyactuating the arms.

2. In an indicating signal, a casing, a pair of indicating signalspivoted at one of their ends within the casing, a crank secured to thepivoted end of each signal, a crank pin at the end of said crank, aslotted link freely journalled at one end on each pin, a pivot, shaftsupported in the casing, a rocking arm secured at its cenpin in each endof said arm engaging a corresponding slot of the links, a lever attachedto the pivot shaft for rocking the same, a control wire fixed to thefree end of the lever and adapted to move the same back and forth, andmanual means for actuating said wire.

ME'RIDEE VERREAULT. 75

